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Who Is Banu Mushtaq? Row Erupts as BJP Leaders Object to Booker Prize Winner Opening Mysuru Dasara Festival

Banu Mushtaq, first Kannada author to win the International Booker Prize, will inaugurate the 4,414th Mysuru Dasara, prompting debate over religious traditions and inclusivity.

  • The Karnataka government selected Banu Mushtaq, Kannada writer and International Booker Prize winner, to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara Mahotsava starting September 22, 2025.
  • Home Minister G. Parameshwara and officials framed Dasara as a secular Nada Habba , justifying Banu Mushtaq's invitation despite BJP objections.
  • Expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal wrote on X that Mushtaq must clarify if she follows Islam or believes all paths lead to moksha before inaugurating Dasara.
  • Police registered two FIRs as Udupi district police booked inflammatory posts flagged by Kollur police station social media cell under Section 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
  • There is precedent: Nissar Ahmad and Sir Mirza Ismail have played central roles at Mysuru Dasara Mahotsava, which attracts nearly five million people annually, increasing the significance of this year's 4,414th Dasara.
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The New Indian Express broke the news in India on Monday, August 25, 2025.
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